From NFL+ subscriptions in New York to packed arenas in Chicago, out-of-home advertising is proving to be the MVP of sports marketing by driving awareness, action, and consistent fan engagement.
Sporting events are more than just games, they are a cultural phenomenon that unite audiences across backgrounds and generations. Leaning into this impact, teams, leagues, and brands are turning to JCDecaux’s street furniture and billboards to reach and connect with their audiences. From increasing ticket sales and relevant subscriptions to boosting sponsorships and beverage sales, outdoor advertising is proving itself as a major player in the world of sports marketing.
Football season has returned, and the NFL+ campaign in New York City is a perfect example of OOH’s ability to generate interest and lead to subscriptions. New Yorkers are constantly moving through busy commuter corridors, where they encounter daily reminders to stream live games and other exclusive content. OOH advertisements provide brands the opportunities to make timely calls-to-action in one of the most saturated and commuter-heavy cities in the world.
And OOH is having a visible breakthrough. A recent Kantar Group study on OOH’s impact found that OOH ads deliver a +13% lift in brand awareness, which is significantly greater than TV, digital, or CTV ads. For a platform like NFL+, this means standing out in a crowded entertainment market and converting awareness into action.
Sports teams are also on the frontlines when it comes to OOH. The Chicago Blackhawks to running campaigns across the city to drive ticket sales and keep people’s focus on hockey.
OOH is particularly useful to achieve this goal. According to a joint study by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) and The Harris-Poll, 49% of respondents engaged with sports marketing content if it featured their favorite team or athlete. Furthermore, up to 90% of adults engaged with a major sporting event OOH ad after seeing it or took relevant action, such as buying a ticket or related merchandise (22-25%), attending an event (21%), or even signing up for updates or newsletters to seek more information (16%). For teams, this translates directly into filled stadiums and loyal fan bases.
Sponsorships are also extending their reach with JCDecaux’s advertising spaces. PNC Bank’s billboards reinforce its status as a partner, ensuring visibility beyond the sports arena. In New York, Poland Spring uses newsstands and bus shelters to communicate messaging on hydration by connecting with the active lifestyle of sports fans.
In Chicago, beverage brands tap into the city’s game-day culture with placements that fans encounter en route to stadiums and arenas. Blue Moon and Miller Lite strengthen their positioning when it comes to tailgating and order at sports bars through high-visibility placements on expressways, with Miller Lite acquiring additional placements through digital ads on street furniture. Modelo amplifies its brand positioning through its presence in a range of Chicago neighborhoods, and RC Cola also keeps itself visible with digital advertisements. With repeat visibility before fans even step into the stadium, OOH strengthens loyalty and influences purchase decisions.
Sports fandoms are broad and diverse, cutting across boundaries in age, income, and culture. OOH is one of the few mediums capable of cutting across these boundaries. OOH also fills gaps left by traditional, performance-focused mediums like digital or CTV. It drives both awareness (brand perception, team loyalty) and action (ticket sales, event attendance, retail purchases), making it a crucial part of a varied and diversified sports marketing strategy.
Research from Kantar confirms that OOH campaigns are 7 times more impactful among receptive audiences strengthening the value of sponsorships and community partnerships. Kantar also reports that OOH ranks among the top five preferred ad channels for women and household decision-makers, i.e., fans who play a major role in family and household spending decisions. Furthermore, OOH delivers nearly 4 times more impact on brand favorability compared to digital and CTV ads, making it uniquely suited to the advertising needs to constantly competing sponsorship brands, where loyalty drives repeat purchases.
From NFL+ in New York to the Blackhawks in Chicago, OOH marketing is driving all kinds of action: buying tickets, streaming content, and engaging with sponsoring brands. With a proven track record of high performance, OOH has emerged as the MVP for sports advertisers who want to connect with fans where it matters most.
